


Confirmation

by Cafechan



Series: dark blue - a collection of teen titans short stories [9]
Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: F/M, This sure is a weird pair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-15
Updated: 2012-04-15
Packaged: 2017-11-03 16:48:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/383691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cafechan/pseuds/Cafechan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Then he smiles, and that’s all the confirmation Terra needs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Confirmation

**Author's Note:**

> Fandom secrets I never really ? Liked Terra ?? But I'm coming to realize that maybe I just hated her relationship with Beast Boy, because when you take him out of the picture, I feel a lot less irritated by her. Hmmmmm.
> 
> This is set in a world where Terra is revived, regains her memories and abilities, and returns to the Titans after years of trust-building.

“Hey,” Terra says, sliding herself down into a chair. She sits on it backwards, resting her arms on its support, and Robin only raises an eyebrow at her before turning back to his paperwork.

It’s the Titans’ game night, and she had elected herself to be the one to nag Robin about holing himself up in the evidence room. Over the years, Robin’s gotten better about his workaholic tendencies, but he still overexerts himself at times and relies on the others to let him know when he’s trying too hard. Now is one of those times.

“Hey,” Robin mimics disinterestedly, hunched over and completely consumed by the documents before him. He already knows what’s coming, and Terra knows he’s preparing the usual excuses of duty and its imperative nature.

Rather than reenacting a cliché conversation, she takes a different approach. “You know, it’s been about five years since I turned into stone.”

This unexpected factoid manages to capture Robin’s attention. “Has it really been that long?”

“Yep,” she confirms, popping the ‘p’ sound pointedly. She rests her chin on her folded arms and continues, sounding a little distant, “Even now, I sometimes feel guilty for the things I did.”

Robin meets her eyes, appraising her expression briefly. “We’ve talked about this before, Terra,” he says, his voice low and gentle. “It’s been forgiven and forgotten.”

“Forgotten by everyone but me,” she argues halfheartedly with a roll of her big, blue eyes. It’s been long enough that the subject isn’t sensitive anymore and she can discuss it without drudging up too many bad feelings. “I know I don’t have to worry about you guys holding it against me anymore. I figured that out ages ago. It’s just that, sometimes I wonder…”

Terra seems to catch her own train of thought with a start, as if her own words surprise her. “Never mind, I probably shouldn’t say this kind of stuff.”

“You can talk to me about anything,” Robin assures her without missing a beat. He turns away from his work, facing her and folding his hands into his lap. He’s making a point; his attention is all hers now, and she suddenly feels sheepish under his masked gaze.

“I just…” she sighs. “I can’t help but wonder if things would be different now if I hadn’t done the things I did. Maybe I wouldn’t have nightmares replaying the awful things I said to you guys. Maybe I wouldn’t feel insecure and paranoid in battle, fearing that I’ll hurt you guys again. Maybe Beast Boy and I…”

She has some difficulty continuing that thought, the color in her face draining slightly.

“I don’t know that I was ever in love with him. But he was my best friend, and he trusted me with everything back then. I know he doesn’t hold anything against me, but whether he realizes it or not, he keeps me at arm’s length now. I knew I couldn’t expect him to welcome me back with open arms so many times, after I rejected him over and over. When I was suppressing the memories and I told him that things change, I meant it and I still do. I’ve changed, and he has, too.”

At some point during the monologue, Robin’s hand finds its way onto her shoulder. His thumb rubs reassuring circles into her skin—a motion that distracts her for a moment before she simply leans into his touch and finishes with her quiet venting.

“I just don’t know. We’re still friends now. Great friends. But of course it feels different… He trusts me, but he’ll never trust me like he did back then. And sometimes I miss it. Does that make sense?”

Robin nods slowly, giving a contemplative mumble. “Maybe it just seems that way because he had a huge crush on you back then.” Terra blushes a little at the frankness of the statement, but Robin ignores it. “I can’t really speak for him. But for what it’s worth, I trust you far more now than I ever did back then.”

Confusion spells itself clearly across her expression. “What? Really?”

“In all fairness, I didn’t trust you all that much to begin with,” he laughs, and she smacks his arm in gentle mock offense. “I mean, we hadn’t even known you that long. You don’t really know a person until you’ve seen them at their worst.”

Terra processes this information with a skeptical hum. “Maybe…”

“Anyway, mistakes are what make us human. I’d be way more scared of you if you had never done a single thing wrong.” He chuckles quietly, and Terra’s giggles chime right along.

Game night long forgotten, Terra notes their closeness and his hand still on her shoulder. Robin doesn’t stiffen up at physical affection like Raven does, but he’s still a far cry from being nearly as hands-on as Starfire, so this kind of proximity feels strangely intimate. She keeps expecting him to shatter the stillness by returning to his work, but he appears to be just as hyperaware of the situation as she is.

What is she to him now, Terra wonders? Robin had been her main guidance when she crawled back to the Titans all those years ago. He watched over her, helped her integrate into the team. He was the one who retaught and reenforced the control over her powers that she had so coveted. Every step of the way, Robin’s been ready to catch her if she were to ever slip again, and Terra’s come to feel a very deep respect for the young man. She owes a lot to him.

Hesitant and cautious, she pulls his hand down from her shoulder and cups her own hands around it. Even with the special, thick material of his gloves, she can feel his warmth pulsing through. Robin watches her actions with a mildly perplexed expression but makes no motion to move away, and, taking this as a wordless approval, Terra’s fingers move up to brush experimentally against Robin’s cheeks. He immediately reddens beneath the fluttery contact, however, so she reels away.

“Sorry, sorry,” she blurts. “I don’t know why I did that.”

Robin shakes his head quickly—in a rushed way that is rather unlike the calculated boy. “It’s fine,” he blurts right back.

She hates how difficult it is to gauge his expression, what with half of it being hidden, and in a moment of recklessness, her fingers reach back up to trace the edges of his mask. He tenses visibly, but again, does not move away or protest. “Can I…?”

Robin’s mouth irons itself into a thin line before he manages to say, “You’ve trusted me with so much. It’s only fair that I do the same.”

Then he smiles, and that’s all the confirmation Terra needs.


End file.
